Organizing Summer Fun when Everyone is Bored - Indoor or Outdoor Decathlon

   
As I do each summer, I'm going to blog about some creative summer fun ideas you can use throughout the summer. Today's is an outdoor or indoor decathlon. An indoor decathlon is ideal for those those experiencing this summer's heat wave! A little heat is no reason not to have fun! I'll be posting more crazy ideas as the summer goes on. Now on to our post for today ...

"I'm bored!" My response is usually, "Sorry, that's your choice!" Over the years, I've come up with some activities to do when there doesn't seem to be anything to do. Most of these I've made up or adapted from other ideas. Sometimes merely reframing ordinary activities creates fun! Here's one I've used with adults and kids for years.

Indoor or Outdoor decathlon: 
10 games - a combination of silly games and games of skill. 
See possible games below.

Getting organized:

I keep the list of games a secret. Then it's a series of surprises.

Gather all the supplies needed for each game ahead of time.

Create a box or bag of prizes.

Create a score sheet chart with each person listed and each game listed.

After each game, record the scores. If you have five people playing, the person who comes in first gets five points, 2nd place gets 4 points, etc.

After all 10 events are played, the person with the most points is first, etc. #1 get to choose a prize first, #2 second, etc.

Possible games - adjust to kids' ages and whether you're playing indoors or oudoors:
dropping clothespins in a bottle
horse (basketball)
elimination bocce ball
bubble gum blowing contest
tossing a coin into a muffin tin
bowling with a toy bowling set
paper airplane making/flying
frisbee golf
croquet
bouncing a tennis ball on a tennis raquet
tossing a tennis ball into a waste basket
ladderball
relays
balancing a ball on your finger
Pass the Pigs game
Boggle
Uno
Skip-bo
pin the _____ on the _____
elimination jenga
paper balls into a waste basket

The sillier the better! Enjoy!

More on summer fun:
Organizing Summer Fun - 10 Free (or nearly free) Activities for Kids
Organizing Summer Fun - 50 Ideas for Your Summer Bucket List
Organizing Summer Fun - Michael's Passport to Imagination